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UGreen Max5c: $25 NC Headphone Review

Rate this noise cancelling headphone:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 7 4.9%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 19 13.4%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 73 51.4%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 43 30.3%

  • Total voters
    142
I just ordered a pair from AliExpress.

This site is so good for random cheap headphone recommendations. Those last IEM's reviewed some months ago that were like $20 are great too.
 
Hello everyone, can anyone tell me if these is the EQ of Amir for Max5C. Because in Band 6 there is any Q Factor right? Also what Preamp should I add? Thanks
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That's impressive for $25, still good at full price. :oops:

I have a few UGreen bits and bobs, USB cables, chargers and the like and so far they've all been good.

I also have a little USB headphone adapter, which cost around £12.00, I think. I haven't really tried to compare it seriously to my desktop amp, but it sounds fine to me.

View attachment 407815
Interestingly, as a YouTube reviewer has spotted, these are most likely made by a more experienced Hong Kong company called OneOdio. Specs and form factor seem to be rigourously the same as those of the OneOdio Focus A5: https://www.oneodio.com/products/oneodio-focus-a5-hybrid-anc-headphones
 
Hello everyone, can anyone tell me if these is the EQ of Amir for Max5C. Because in Band 6 there is any Q Factor right? Also what Preamp should I add? Thanks View attachment 417253
Better use these parameters:

They include appropriate Preamp values.
 
Better use these parameters:

They include appropriate Preamp values.
Thank you I already use these two EQ profiles
 
Ok try to go to Device Manager, go to Bluetooth and uninstall the device then restart the pc
View attachment 413897
It should start with the Windows Standard Driver. Is the Bluetooth device built in or an adapter? If its an USB pull it out from the USB port then reinstall it after restart the PC
Hello @sulfuriq can you tell me if XM4 Max 5c sound quality can be compared to Sony XM4 as I see you owned. Thanks
 
I've just got these and, to me, the hype is real. Truly amazing stuff. @Deckard01 is asking about the XM4. I don't own those, but am coming from a set of XM2 (wired, I'm on an Edition XS) and, in my view, the UGREEN sound better than the XM2. Build quality is also way beyond the price point. The hinges, incredibly, are actually metal. Plastic in the cups is prone to scratches, though, and you will want to carry your cans around in a pouch.

On default EQ modes, I quite like the Jazz one. Found that soundstage and detail retrieval improve very noticeably in that mode. Sound also gets louder. In desktop/USB mode, I'm experimenting with the two parameters sets posted above. Really enjoying @Maiky76 's.

On the flip side: sound out of the box and in AAC comes across to me as seriously bad and full of distortion. I don't know if it's the AAC implementation on Android and if you would get it better with an iPhone. I can only say that with LDAC this thing is phenomenal. For AAC, though, I'd probably be looking elsewhere.

It is also true that it will take some bravery to walk around with something of the same brand of my (albeit also fantastic) desktop charger. But Anker/Soundcore users appear perfectly comfortable in going about with their Space Ones -- and these UGREEN, in my opinion, are MUCH better than those.
 
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I know but the Max 5c with LDAC and EQ can be near to an XM4 out of the box?
Not sure about that since been years had XM4 out of the box and I only had it for convenient and those Max 5c I've bought it for the wife and the boys while my daily rig is the Sony MDR-M1 and Edition XS. Just enjoy it if it suit your preference.
 
@amirm the last PEQ does have a Q factor, I used 1.
If it is not then the score for your EQ is inaccurate.

Usually, BT SOCs provide plenty of EQ capabilities including Dynamic range compressors, therefore the tuning should represent the intent of the designers.

Here are some thoughts about the EQ.
Please report your findings, positive or negative!

Notes about the EQ design:
  • The average L/R is used to calculate the score.
  • The resolution is 12 points per octave interpolated from the raw data (provided by @amirm)
  • A Genetic Algorithm is used to optimize the EQ.
  • The EQ Score is designed to MAXIMIZE the Score WHILE fitting the Harman target curve (and other constrains) with a fixed complexity.
    This will avoid weird results if one only optimizes for the Score, start your journey here or there.
    There is a presentation by S. Olive here.
    It will probably flatten the Error regression doing so, the tonal balance should be therefore more neutral.
  • The EQs are starting point and may require tuning (certainly at LF and maybe at HF).
  • The range around and above 10kHz is usually not EQed unless smooth enough to do so.
  • I am using PEQ (PK) as from my experience the definition is more consistent across different DSP/platform implementations than shelves.
  • With some HP/amp combo, the boosts and preamp gain (loss of Dynamic range) need to be carefully considered to avoid issues with, amongst other things, too low a Max SPL or damaging your device. You have beed warned.
  • Not all units of the same product are made equal. The EQ is based on the measurements of a single unit. YMMV with regard to the very unit you are trying this EQ on.
  • I sometimes use variations of the Harman curve for some reasons. See rational here and here
  • NOTE: the score then calculated is not comparable to the scores derived from the default Harman target curve if not otherwise noted

OK L/R match.

I have generated two EQs, the APO config files are attached.
For the price it could be a nice way to experiment with EQ etc.

Score no EQ: 66.6
Score Amirm: 89.1 (great effort)
Score with EQ: 99.1


View attachment 407913
Just for the sake of it I used Amirm's EQ as a starting point as it had most of the EQ points.
The issue is that the the score optimization requires the regression slope to be as close to 0 as possible therefore it decreased the LF to achieve this.
It probably not as good as the one above for most people for this reason, it illustrates the issue with solely optimizing for the score.

Score no EQ: 66.6
Score Amirm: 89.1
Score Amirm optimized: 100.9

View attachment 407911

Thank you so much for this @Maiky76 . Amazing stuff.

Connected the Max5C to my PC in LDAC, running Alternative A2DP Driver. Adjusted parameters on Roon. Truly can't believe this sound is coming off a headphone going for US$19 on JD.com -- including delivery. Almost feel ridiculous using Roon to play here.

I think the fact both you and @amirm took the time to post your EQs for these UGREEN speaks volumes about the product. Has the same been done for the Edition XS? (true question there).
 
Thanks, @staticV3. Had tried the Oratory via MUSE, but liked Resolve's ones too. The Edition XS are of course in an entirely different league altogether. Much more technical, detailed and fuller sounding headphones. Not as full sounding as my HE-R9, which I hate to love. Yet not even my HE-R9 have that sub-bass goodness I am getting here with the UGREEN.

But my main point was just my curiosity in finding these two very technical contributions here on the UGREEN. Clearly UGREEN is into something with these headphones. One just needs to see how much more even the OneOdio Focus A5 cost. You have the UGREEN/OneOdio collaboration on the one hand, Anker's Soundcore line on the other hand...

I love the politics of it all.
 
I placed that order December 16 and received the headphones December 30.

Been putting it through its paces since then and the battery is still at 35%! It was full when I got it.

Out of the box, warm, bassy and sounds as if there's a blanket covering the ear cups. I tried amirm's EQ in Poweramp Player and used the headphones' 'Classic' EQ as he did. Not as detailed as I would like. Then I tweaked his EQ a bit, enabled LDAC on my phone (POCO X3 Pro), and also switched on the 'Hi-res' feature of the HITune Max5C through the Ugreen companion app, activating its LDAC codec. I was pleasantly surprised. Still warm, but now lively and relatively balanced and detailed.

Next, I switched to Neutron Player on my phone, disabling all processing and filters except that of the parametric equalizer, with everything else at default. The same tweaked amirm EQ settings were used. I also changed the EQ on the Ugreen companion app to Jazz. Even better. Natural timbre, bass tight and punchy, yet with wonderful resonance, and the voices and treble details, just right. Listened to my FLAC test tracks and then to the rest of my music for extended periods at moderate volumes without fatigue, although I would lift the ear cups occasionally because they get uncomfortably warm. Oh, the ear pads seem to be permanently attached, hence not replaceable. I asked UGreen, but they haven't answered yet.

Note that my phone's LDAC codec audio streaming is optimized for audio quality (990/909 kbps), the highest setting. I was walking around the living room with the phone near our kitchen—almost 10 meters—and there was no drop in audio or no automatic reversion to default settings, granted there is always a clear line-of-sight between the two devices.

Next, I tried wired, using the provided USB-C to USB-C cable to connect my phone to the headphones. Audio signal transmission here is digital, and not analog right? Same tweaked amirm EQ settings, and switching from Poweramp to Neutron player on my phone. There is a definite improvement over LDAC Bluetooth, I think, as if the sound 'opened up' a bit. Or perhaps it's just my brain telling me. I could definitely say that the sound using Neutron Player is brighter, and has that 'airy feel' up top.

The noise cancelling—more like noise suppression—feature removed background hum and other low-level ambient noise. I was using it during the New Year's midnight celebrations and I could still hear the muffled explosions of firecrackers. This might be useful while onboard an airplane, or on a train. I have no prior experience with noise cancelling headphones.

Edit: Activating, then disabling noise cancellation while listening wired or thru LDAC seems to have the effect of covering the ear cups with a thin fabric, then removing it.

Considering its features, especially its sound quality, and the purchase price of $18 (I would have gotten it for $17 but I missed the expiry deadline for the discount voucher) I believe this is a Great Bargain. :)

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Thanks for this review, Amir. Looking at it, seems like a lot of value, but obviously going to be missing sub bass, no matter what. I think I would rather have put in a high shelf at 3k of +2db, and, since I'm kind of a bass head, just added a peak filter at 150 hz to bring up that trough so it was level with what comes before and after. The only problem is the mid range distortion and resonance, but it's still about 40 db down from the signal, so it's about 1 percent there, really not that bad IMHO. So. really. if you can eq it, and given the other stuff like a mic and noise cancelling, it seems like just a stupid bargain at $20.

Easy to see why you recommended it.
Have you tried it with the EQs here? Play some Lose Yourself to Dance, High Water Everywhere (Live from the RAH), Starboy etc and let me know.

It's a much more composed sub-bass than the one I had, for instance, in my old MDR-XB950BT (and the bass generally does not muddies the rest as all my Sony tend to do) or even in my HE-R9.

Of course, I will prefer to listen to my Edition XS every time. But it's amazing what has been achieved here.
 
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can you, some owner, please tell me if I connect this wired, can the noise cancelling still be on?

I am interested in flight use.

with my sony xm3 I can see the movies in wired mode, and noise cancelling on.

But on my anker L30, as soon as you connect the cable, the headphone gets off. so the noise canceling cant be used.
This is not convenient to use in an airplane.
 
can you, some owner, please tell me if I connect this wired, can the noise cancelling still be on?

I am interested in flight use.

with my sony xm3 I can see the movies in wired mode, and noise cancelling on.

But on my anker L30, as soon as you connect the cable, the headphone gets off. so the noise canceling cant be used.
This is not convenient to use in an airplane.
Hi @velasfloyd : these UGREEN do not have a 3.5MM jack. They do work in DAC mode connected via USB-C. I can confirm you can transit through different noise-cancelling modes while connected in DAC mode as well, though I trust this will only be helpful if you are watching content on your laptop / tablet / mobile device.

Connected via DAC, you get audio up to 32bit/192kHz, at rather decent volume. Though @CedarX had identified a DAC with apparently lower specs, Roon tells me DAC here appears to be a different one. The headphones sound amazing in DAC mode, especially using @Maiky76 's EQ above.

Since buying the UGREEN, however, I have passed them on to my son and got an Edifier W860NB Pro to replace my old Sony WH-1000XM2. These are the Chinese version of the Edifier WH950NB. I got them at USD60 on Taobao, which is a steal considering the original price of the WH950NB.

While I love the UGREEN, I think the Edifier sound a tad more full, well-rounded, with a wider sound stage and very good detail retrieval (more so than my Sony). I also really like their build quality: like a thick, soft rubber, very nice to the touch (note that the Chinese version does not have the shiny metalic accents at the hinge that the international version has). It is a rather elegant set of headphones, though the UGREEN also look quite the part. My son actually thinks the UGREEN look better.

The Edifier also work in DAC mode -- unlike I had read in reviews of the WH950NB -- and there they get MUCH louder than the UGREEN (I need to stop at 30 on Roon), without distortion. It appears thus that the DAC/AMP here is a quite more powerful one.

The Edififer also has a 3.5mm jack (and I can confirm noise cancelling also works once you turn the Edifier on while connected via the 3.5mm jack -- as it does in DAC mode) and comes with a really nice and expensive-looking case.

While both are reasonably cheap and sound great, I think you get better value from the Edifier.
 
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Hi @velasfloyd : these UGREEN do not have a 3.5MM jack. They do work in DAC mode connected via USB-C. I can confirm you can transit through different noise-cancelling modes while connected in DAC mode as well, though I trust this will only be helpful if you are watching content on your laptop / tablet / mobile device.

Connected via DAC, you get audio up to 32bit/192kHz, at rather decent volume. Though @CedarX had identified a DAC with apparently lower specs, Roon tells me DAC here appears to be a different one. The headphones sound amazing in DAC mode, especially using @Maiky76 's EQ above.

Since buying the UGREEN, however, I have passed them on to my son and got an Edifier W860NB Pro to replace my old Sony WH-1000XM2. These are the Chinese version of the Edifier WH950NB. I got them at USD60 on Taobao, which is a steal considering the original price of the WH950NB.

While I love the UGREEN, I think the Edifier sound a tad more full, well-rounded, with a wider sound stage and very good detail retrieval (more so than my Sony). I also really like their build quality: like a thick, soft rubber, very nice to the touch (note that the Chinese version does not have the shiny metalic accents at the hinge that the international version has). It is a rather elegant set of headphones, though the UGREEN also look quite the part. My son actually thinks the UGREEN look better.

The Edifier also work in DAC mode -- unlike I had read in reviews of the WH950NB -- and there they get MUCH louder than the UGREEN (I need to stop at 30 on Roon), without distortion. It appears thus that the DAC/AMP here is a quite more powerful one.

The Edififer also has a 3.5mm jack (and I can confirm noise cancelling also works once you turn the Edifier on while connected via the 3.5mm jack -- as it does in DAC mode) and comes with a really nice and expensive-looking case.

While both are reasonably cheap and sound great, I think you get better value from the Edifier.

thanks a lot!
I appreciate your answer and the time you took to give all this valuable information. thank you ;)

never bought in taobao before. and I see only 830nb and 950nb in aliexpress.
but I guess this is offtopic.

thanks again!
 
I guess the real point is trying to understand how many passive headphones would be outperformed by this one, and until what pricepoint.
I agree but since we can easily eq every headphone the real comparison should be with equed wired headphones. In this case I am not so sure we could find this superior to many modestly priced wired headphones
 
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